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PGY2 Pediatric Pharmacy Residency

 

Purpose Statement

PGY2 pharmacy residency programs build on Doctor of Pharmacy (Pharm.D.) education and PGY1 pharmacy residency programs to contribute to the development of clinical pharmacists in specialized areas of practice. PGY2 residencies provide residents with opportunities to function independently as practitioners by conceptualizing and integrating accumulated experience and knowledge and incorporating both into the provision of patient care or other advanced practice settings. Residents who successfully complete an accredited PGY2 pharmacy residency are prepared for advanced patient care, academic, or other specialized positions, along with board certification, if available.

 

Qualifications

Applicants must be Doctor of Pharmacy graduates from an ACPE-accredited school or college of pharmacy; have completed an accredited PGY1 Pharmacy Practice Residency; be licensed or eligible for pharmacist licensure in Virginia; and possess requisite patient care training or experience. The successful applicant must possess exceptional knowledge, clinical problem solving, communication skills, and leadership qualities.

Residency Goals

  • To develop expert pharmacy skills and competencies in various pediatric pharmacy practice settings, enabling the resident to provide therapeutic decision-making, drug therapy selection, and therapeutic drug monitoring to improve outcomes and quality of life of the pediatric patient.
  • To develop and enhance teaching skills by participating in selected didactic courses at the VCU School of Pharmacy, precepting students in clinical experiences (APPEs), and presenting educational information to health care professionals, patients, and family members.
  • To enhance written and oral communication skills to enable the resident to contribute pediatric pharmacotherapy information through publication and presentation.
  • To provide experiences in clinical research and quality improvement in pediatric pharmacy practice.
  • To develop effective organizational, integrative, and evaluative skills that assist the resident in developing cost-effective, patient-oriented pharmacy services to the pediatric population.

Recruitment

The Pediatric Residency Program Director or program preceptors and residents from VCUHS will be interviewing candidates at the ASHP Midyear Personnel Placement Service. Candidates are encouraged to interview at the ASHP Midyear Personnel Placement Service and apply for the program. Visit our Application Process page for more information on our virtual sessions and showcase participation. On site interviews are by invitation only.

 

Program Training and Structure

The PGY2 Pediatric resident will gain a broad range of experiences in various pediatric settings. VCUHS is an academic medical center located in Richmond, Virginia. The Children’s Hospital of Richmond at VCUHS is a level 1 pediatric trauma center, level 4 neonatal care, Cystic Fibrosis Foundation accredited CF care center, American Diabetes Association designated diabetes education program, and a Children’s Oncology Group site.  VCUHS is the primary teaching site for the Virginia Commonwealth Schools of Pharmacy, Medicine, Dentistry, Nursing, and Allied Health.

Required Rotations (6, five week rotations)

Orientation
Pediatric Intensive Care
Neonatal Intensive Care
General Pediatrics
Pediatric Hematology Oncology and Cellular Therapy
Clerkship Teaching
*Longitudinal experiences (including practice management, clinical pharmacokinetic consult coverage, code blue and ECMO response, committee participation, continuing education presentation, research, and medical writing opportunities)

Elective Rotations (3, three to five week rotations or longitudinal experience)

Pediatric Infectious Disease and Antimicrobial Stewardship
Pediatric and Adolescent Psychiatry (acute care or ambulatory care)
Pediatric Hematology/Oncology Ambulatory Care
Pediatric Pulmonology Ambulatory Care
Clinical Toxicology Consult Service and Poison Center
Academia
Pediatric Subspecialty Populations (ex: pulmonology, gastrointestinal diseases, endocrine, neurology, nephrology)
Pharmacy Informatics
Medication Safety
Pediatric Emergency Medicine

Teaching

The PGY2 Pediatric Resident is given an academic faculty appointment as a Clinical Instructor in the VCU School of Pharmacy and has opportunities to provide didactic instruction (e.g., lectures, team-based learning sessions, case conferences) and experiential training (e.g., APPEs) for Doctor of Pharmacy students from the Virginia Commonwealth University School of Pharmacy. Residents may participate in an elective teaching and learning certificate program.

 

Research

Each resident is responsible for initiating and successfully completing a research project, with presentation at an internal residency research symposium and at a national meeting. Residents are encouraged to submit their projects for publication. An advisor and additional support guide the resident through the process. Potential pediatric research projects are presented to the residents at the start of the residency program.

 

Accreditation

This program is accredited by the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists and participates in the ASHP/NMS PGY2 Matching Program and PhORCAS. For application instructions, please visit the Application Process section of this website.

Program Leadership

Program Director

Cady P. Noda, PharmD, BCPS, BCPPS
Clinical Specialist, Pediatric Hematology Oncology and Stem Cell Transplant
Clinical Assistant Professor of Pharmacy
     PharmD, University of Iowa College of Pharmacy
     PGY1 Residency, Indiana University Health
     PGY2 Residency in Pediatrics, Georgia Regents Children’s Hospital of Georgia/University of Georgia College of Pharmacy

Coordinator, Pharmacy Residency Programs

Craig Kirkwood, PharmD
Assistant Director, Pharmacotherapy Services
Associate Professor of Pharmacy
     BS, University of Buffalo
     PharmD, University of Buffalo
     Residency in Hospital Pharmacy, Buffalo General Hospital
     Residency in Drug Information, North Carolina Memorial Hospital at University of North Carolina

Director, Department of Pharmacy Services

Rodney L. Stiltner, PharmD, MS
Director, Department of Pharmacy Services
Clinical Associate Professor of Pharmacy
     PharmD, Mercer University
     MS, University of Wisconsin
     Residency in Pharmacy Practice, Charleston Area Medical Center, West Virginia
     Residency in Management Pharmacy Practice, University of Wisconsin Medical Center Hospitals and Clinics

Application Process

Application is made through the PhORCAS process. The application deadline is January 2, 2024. For application instructions, please visit the Application Process section of this website.

Required Characteristics to be Evaluated by Your Reference Writers:

1. Clinical problem solving skills

2. Ability to work with peers and communicate

3. Emotional stability and maturity

4. Dependability

5. Effective patient interactions

Number of Positions

1

Salary and Benefits

The salary for PGY2 pharmacy residents at VCU Health System is $49,816.

Duration of Appointment

The pharmacy resident's contract at VCU Health System will begin on July 1 of the program year. The pharmacy residency will be completed on June 30 of the subsequent year.

Vacation and Holiday Leave

Two weeks (10 days) are granted for paid vacation or personal leave. This may be taken during rotations throughout the year. At least 9 days of paid holiday leave are provided during the year. Discretionary leave (personal or vacation leave) is pre-approved by the resident's rotation preceptor, the residency program director, and the residency programs coordinator. In general, the resident will be absent no more than five days during any rotation.

Sick Leave

Five days of paid sick leave are provided as baseline leave. After complete use of sick and vacation leave, unpaid leave is utilized and the need to extend the residency is considered.

Professional Leave

Twelve days are provided for educational and professional leave. This includes, but is not limited to, professional meetings (e.g., ACCP, ASHP, AAPP, HOPA, SCCM), interviews, licensure or board exams, visitation to other medical center(s) or national pharmacy organizations, or participation in a medical mission.

Health Benefits

The VCU Health System provides a health insurance policy, to each pharmacy resident. Coverage includes outpatient physician visits and laboratory tests. Prescription, dental, vision, and family coverage are available through payroll deduction with the respective co-pay and vary with the level of coverage desired.

Liability Insurance

VCU Health System is self-insured and provides professional liability (malpractice) insurance, subject to policy limits, for each pharmacy resident. Insurance covers professional service when on-duty within the institution. It does not cover professional services (e.g., moonlighting or consulting activities) provided at other facilities or institutions. This malpractice insurance will cover all acts of alleged medical negligence while a resident is at VCU Health System. Residents may choose to enhance the professional liability insurance with a personal liability policy.

Moonlighting

Residents are permitted to seek additional, paid staffing as a pharmacist upon approval of their program director. For convenience, the additional staffing usually occurs within VCU Health System. Moonlighting, in general, will not extend to greater than eight hours weekly. Additional staffing which conflicts with residency requirements is not permitted.

Office Space and Resources

The Department of Pharmacy Services provides office space for the residents. Residents may access patient information and drug information throughout VCUHS and from home via remote access.

Health and Recreation Facilities

Residents have access to VCU recreational facilities, including exercise equipment, weight rooms, aerobic activities, basketball courts and swimming pools, at a reduced membership fee.

Parking

Parking is provided on the VCU Medical Center campus through payroll deduction at the reduced, housestaff rate.